Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
Behold, the most expensive thing I can get my hands on at Trader Joe’s. Clocking in at just shy of $50 for this one package is nearly four pounds of beefy goodness. However, beefy goodness is in the eyes of the beholder. How much you like this will be determined by how well you prepare this. So tonights review is a little bit of cooking with a bit of commentary on this slab of meat.
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The pros: Trader Joe’s Beef Cabbage Rolls are going to be the least pretty thing I’ve photographed in a while. In fact, they reminded me of a certain overused brown emoji. If you don’t like red sauce, then Trader Joe’s skipped that here.
The cons: Directions are microwave only and I do wonder if this would have held up better using a different method. This might not be a good idea to bring to work (more on that in a moment).
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Grass Fed Organic Rib Eye Beef Steak is a new and premium addition to the meat aisle of Trader Joe’s.
The cons: This is a premium product at price point of over $21 per pound. There is also quite a bit of fat that could have been trimmed off.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Kosher Beef Fully Trimmed Brisket is a reasonably price slab of brisket that only requires your touch.
The cons: This is not OU kosher. The oven directions were just ok.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Center Cut Filet Mignon Steak is a tender and high quality cut of meat. This is USDA Choice which is one step below USDA Prime.
The cons: Price. This is quite expensive and is a substantial jump in price compared to the Filet Mignon that I reviewed in 2017. Not only is the packaging, name and quality grade difference but this is almost $10 per pound more expensive.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Balsamic Rosemary Beef Steak Tips are new to the refrigerated aisle.
The cons: These are good, but don’t quite reach the level of great.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Marinated Beef Flank Steak Pesto Roll has a lot in common with the seasonal Trader Joe’s Porchetta Roast.
The cons: Make sure to use a roasting pan or a dish with a lip as a lot of liquid and oil came off of my roast. I’m still not sold on the idea of cooking pesto.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Gyro Slices are decent gyro, but nothing that will wow.
The cons: These are no where nearly as good as a Greek restaurant, however, if you are no where near a good Greek place, then these are a decent substitute.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Island Teriyaki Beef Steak Tips are some of the most tender beef aside from Trader Joe’s Filet Mignon.
The cons: This product does have a strong vinegar tang which might not appeal to everyone.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Puff Dogs are a play on pigs in a blanket.
The cons: The puff didn’t rise as much as I would have liked. Also, this does not come in a resealable package
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Craft Beer Sirloin Bavette Steak is tasty, tender, and can be prepared quickly as it’s already marinaded.
The cons: Some might find the acidity less than ideal.
The verdict: …
If you are searching through the fresh meat aisle there are a few selections which now include March’s new Trader Joe’s theme: coffee. Trader Joe’s Coffee Rubbed Flank Steak made a lot more sense than the Coffee Spatchcocked Chicken. The coffee here was a lot more subtle without being so forward. This makes me wonder why we haven’t seen any red-eye gravy with all this coffee craziness.
The pros: Trader Joe’s Coffee Rubbed Flank Steak is pre-marinaded so you don’t have to do any of the work.
The cons: Directions should remind you that for the most tender pieces you should cut the meat across the grain. Touching the meat or the marinade will leave an orange hued stain so be careful if you don’t wish to look like you’ve had a poorly done spray tan.
The verdict: …
If you’ve come to Trader Joe’s for your Corned Beef, you are in luck for St. Patrick’s Day. Even if you don’t celebrate that holiday, Trader Joe’s Corned Beef corned beef is something worth celebrating. Best of all there are two varieties: uncooked and precooked. This review focuses just on the corned beef you’ll be cooking for yourself. If you find that you are enjoying it, be prepared for this to disappear over the rainbow when corned beef season ends….
The pros: Trader Joe’s Beef Cabernet Pot Roast is well seasoned, well trimmed and tasty overall.
The cons: You might want a gravy with this, or at least make your own gravy out of the juices. No actual red wine in this.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Steak and Stout Pie has a delicious pie crust, directions were on point, surprisingly filling for a small pie.
The cons: Trader Joe’s Steak and Stout Pie is also a calorie and nutritional bomb. Microwave is not recommended if you want the crisp pastry crust which means if you are hungry right now you are at least 45 minutes from eating this.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Beef Shepherd’s Pie is an all in one meal that contains vegetables, meat and starch
The cons: Not a well done shepherd’s pie and some of the soggiest mashed potatoes I’ve had. The mashed potatoes overwhelmed this dish as did the lack of flavor here.
The verdict: …
The pros: Super tasty steak, tender as could be. I prefer Trader Joe’s Beef Filet Mignon over Trader Joe’s Steakhouse Seasoned Beef Filet Mignon as that was very peppery (but tasty and tender too). Here you have total control over the seasoning and spice level. If you are only a beginning cook then yes, the Steakhouse Seasoned Beef Filet Mignon is a good choice because the directions are crystal clear and most of the work is done for you.
The cons: Should have more of a guide on how to prepare this and what temperature gives you the different levels of doneness. Expensive per pound, but what filet mignon isn’t?
The verdict: …
The pros: Tasty beef in a sesame soy marinade that is ready super quick on the grill or pan. Trader Joe’s Beef Bool Kogi meat was lean.
The cons: A mild heat would have added to this, but can also be done at the end. High in sodium.
The verdict: …
The pros: Tasty, good flavor, very tender meat off of high heat. Be sure to cut Trader Joe’s Carne Asada across the grain for the most tender texture.
The cons: Cooking directions could be elaborated a bit and should be easier to see. There is a distinct acidic taste to the meat which not everyone will find pleasing. Also if you have someone in your household who does not like cilantro, this is not a good product to try.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Steakhouse Seasoned Filet Mignon is super tender, juicy and lean cut of meat. Lots of seasoning.
The cons: If you want gravy with this, you’ll have to bring it in. There were no juices to speak of here. Recipe is heavy-handed with the black pepper.
The verdict: …
So you bought Trader Joe’s Umami Paste. Now for the next question: What the hell do you use this for? I wondered the same thing when I bought it. Out of the tube the primary flavor you’ll get is tomato paste. Within the tomato paste flavor you’ll get hints of parmesan cheese, olives, capers, garlic, mushroom powder, vinegar, and anchovy. There is a lot going on in this one little tube. The next obvious problem is that they don’t include any recipes, which they should have. It’s a product I’d like to see kept on the shelves as a permanent item. It should add a lot to anything with an existing tomato base to it. Where is the best place use it? Here is my recipe for Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Trader Joe’s Umami Paste….
The pros: Trader Joe’s Braised Beef Roast with Demi Glace is super tender beef, extremely flavorful sauce, highly recommend. I see no point in making this dish myself.
The cons: None come to mind. This was a very well done dish.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Korean Style Beef Short Ribs have tasty Korean flavors. Short ribs were tender, thin cut, don’t require hours of cooking like many short rib recipes do. It’s already marinaded and waiting for you to defrost.
The cons: You can’t just grill these out of the bag. They absolutely have to defrost. Not a deal breaker, but if you are starving please plan accordingly. This isn’t a 5 minute meal. I also wish there were more in the bag. As one person it would be easy to polish off the whole bag. Not a deal breaker though. Can’t use a microwave.
The verdict: …
The pros: Super beefy tasting cut of beef. Trader Joe’s Tri Tip Roast was tender out of the oven. It’s got all the culinary buzzwords going: no antibiotics, no added hormones, free range, vegetarian fed.
The cons: Over $20 for a roast that was just over 2 lbs. Not cheap, but it is quality.
The Verdict: …
